Now presenting on this #MiniatureMonday: a truly wonderful collection of miniature ‘zines, written and illustrated by three young brothers in South Philadelphia in the 1850s. The tiniest are six 4x5 centimeter volumes titled “The Fair,” illustrating the boys’ visits to the Franklin Institute’s Exhibition of American Manufactures, an annual event in Philadelphia that displayed new inventions and goods. Issues of “The Fair” span from 1850 to 1853.
The Whiteman brothers made their illustrations to mirror the objects and media they saw on display at the exhibition. The delightful bird drawing you see in the bottom photo was likely drawn with India inks sold at the Franklin, and the tiny framed dog in the top photo is actually a very small woodblock print!
The first issue is up in our Digital Library, here.
From the Whiteman Family papers [0712], Box 7.